Method and apparatus for the construction of multi-storey buildings

ABSTRACT

A multi-storey building having a reinforced concrete frame is erected by the use of a crane which comprises a horizontal jib movable up and down between vertical masts. The jib extends beyond opposite sides of the masts and a trolley is arranged to run longitudinally of the jib to carry concrete and prefabricated floor slabs as required. The jib also supports the shuttering for the vertical walls and the shuttering has the full height of the walls for a storey. Elevator means are arranged to raise the jib, with the shuttering, as each storey is erected and the crane can also be elevated bodily between the formation of storeys and arranged to be supported by an already erected storey.

ilaite Tamburini atent [191 .lune 18, 1974 [76] Inventor: MarioTarnburini, 5 Via Grimaldi,

Bologna, Italy 140122 [22] Filed: Mar. 20, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 235,912

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 3, 1971 Italy 12620/71 Mar.I0, 1972 Italy 12528/72 511 1m. 0 ..E04g 21/14,EO4g 11/00 [58] Field ofSearch 52/741, 747, 745; 212/57, 212/64; 254/106, I05; 425/63; 249/20,13, 1 18, 33; 264/33, 34

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,434,708 l/l948 Mathis249/33 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS I 779,781 3/1968 Canada 212/649/1946 France 52/747 1/1953 Germany 425/63 Primary Examinerl'lenry C.Sutherland Assistant Examiner-James L. Ridgill, Jr. Attorney, Agent, orFirmLarson, Taylor and Hinds 7] ABSTRACT A multi-storey building havinga reinforced concrete frame is erected by the use of a crane whichcomprises a horizontal jib movable up and down between vertical masts.The jib extends beyond opposite sides of the masts and a trolley isarranged to run longitudinally of the jib to carry concrete andprefabricatedfloor slabs as required. The jib also supports theshuttering for the vertical walls and the shuttering has the full heightof the walls for a storey. Elevator means are arranged to raise the jib,with the shuttering, as each storey is erected and the crane can also beelevated bodily between the formation of storeys and arranged to besupported by an already erected storey.

9 Claims, 25 Drawing Figures imam PAIENTEnJun 1 a ma SHEET 2 BF METHODAND APPARATUS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method of and an appara- 5tus for the production of rnulti-storey buildings with reinforcedconcrete frames.

The problem underlying the invention consists in simplifying andaccelerating the production of buildings of this kind and providing thepre-requisites for the greatest possible mechanisation of the methodwith at the same time a relative reduction of expense for the machineequipment required.

According to the invention a method of building a multi-storey buildinghaving a reinforced concrete frame includes the steps of forming thevertical frame parts storey by storey using re-usable shuttering havingthe full height of the vertical frame parts of a storey, retaining theshuttering in a suspended condition during formation of the verticalframe parts, raising the shuttering following formation of the verticalframe parts for one storey, inserting pre-fabricated floor slabshorizontally between the raised shuttering and the tops of the verticalframe parts and resting the slabs on the tops of the vertical frameparts of said one storey to form a floor, and lowering the shuttering onto the floor preparatory to the formation of the vertical frame parts ofthe next higher storey. The raising and lowering of the suspendedshuttering and the laying of the prefabricated floor slabs arepreferably effected according to the invention with the aid of a craneerected in a well formed by internal vertical frame parts not covered byfloor slabs. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the crane islocated in the well and initially stands on the ground or on foundationsfor the building and following the formation of one or more storeyportions of the frame is raised stepwise by at least one storey at atime and is then supported by previously erected projecting frame partsand/or by edge portions of the previously laid floor slabs.

The frame-parts erected storey by storey may consist of posts and/orwall parts with an angular cross-section and/or of complete walls,particularly of wall groups joined together in a U-shaped or L-shapedcrosssection.

The invention also comprehends apparatus for use in building arnulti-storey building having a reinforced concrete frame, saidapparatus comprising a crane including a horizontal jib which extendsbeyond opposite sides of a crane frame and isslidable up and down thecrane frame, a jib-elevating device operable to effect said up and downmovements of the jib, suspension means carried by the jib and arrangedto support reusable shuttering having the full height of vertical frameparts of :1 storey in a suspended condition during formation of thevertical frame parts, and at least one trolley carried by the jib andmovable longitudinally of the jib to facilitate pouring of concrete intothe shuttering and while the shuttering is raised following theformation of the vertical frame parts forone storey to facilitate theinsertion of prefabricated floor slabs horizontally between the raisedshuttering and the tops of the vertical frame parts and resting of theslabs on the tops of the vertical frame parts of said one storey to forma floor on to which the shuttering can be lowered preparatory to theformation of the vertical frame parts of the next higher storey.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. I to 7 illustrate, inperspective, some successive steps in the method according to theinvention for the production of multi-storey buildings, together withthe corresponding apparatus,

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic horizontal cross-section through a crane shownin FIGS. II to 7,

FIGS. 9 to 11 illustrate three successive movement steps of a deviceshown in FIG. 8 for lifting the crane, the figures showing in verticalsection the course of an upward movement of the crane head in relationto the crane frame,

FIG. 12 shows the lifting device for the building crane shown in FIGS. 8to I 1, when adjusted as an elevating device for raising the crane framewith the crane head supported by parts of a building previously erected,

FIGS. 13 to 14 are plan views illustrating two possible ways of erectingthe crane,

FIG. 15 illustrates, in perspective, a shuttering associated with thecrane shown in FIGS. 13 and 14,

FIGS. 16 and 17 are plan views of means for suspending the shuttering ona building frame, for the purpose of concreting (FIG. 16) and for thepurpose of removing the shuttering (FIG. 17),

FIG. 18 is an elevation of means for suspending the shuttering on abuilding frame,

FIG. 19 is an elevation of a device for fastening outer shutteringboards on an associated floor edge,

FIGS. 20. to 22 are elevations illustrating three successive movementsteps of the crane elevating device,

FIG. 23 illustrates, in perspective, the mounting of a crane to run onrails,

FIG. 24 shows the connection of the rails to the crane frame forelevating purposes, and

FIG. 25 is a ground plan of some examples of construction of verticalreinforced concrete frame parts which can be produced by the methodaccording to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the description to follow,the concrete pouring form or forms will also be referred to asshuttering and the walls thus formed by the concrete will also bereferred to as frame parts. I

For the production of multi-storey buildings with reinforced concreteframes use is made of a crane l the frame of which consists of twojuxtaposed masts 2 i which are spaced apart from one another and arefastened together. A crane head 3 is arranged to slide up and downbetween the masts 2 and carries a horizontal jib 4 which projects fromopposite sides of the masts. The masts 2, the crane head 3, and the jib4 are of latticework construction, as can be seen particularly fromFIGS. 8 to 12 and 20 to 22. In the other Figures the crane parts 2, 3,and 4 are shown only by their contour lines for the sake of simplicity.

Between the two masts 2 and the vertically adjustable crane head 3 thereis inserted an elevating device, which is shown in greater detail inFIGS. 8 to 12. The elevating device consists of a vertical hydraulicpower cylinder 5, which is fastened by its upper end to a crossbeam 6which is fastened on the crane head 3. The lower end of the cylinder 5is fastened to a cross-beam 7 which is guided to slide up and down inthe crane head 3. At each of its two ends, the top cross-beam 6 isprovided with a bearing catch 8 arranged to pivot in a downwarddirection and to be secured in a horizontal operative position, and alsoan upwardly pivotable supporting catch 9 arranged to be secured in ahorizontal operative position. A bearing catch 10 similar to the catch 8and a driving catch 11 corresponding to the supporting catch 9 areprovided on each of the ends of the bottom cross-beam 7. The bearing,supporting and driving catches 8, 9, 10 and 11 co-operate withsupporting bars 12 which are fastened on the masts 2 and project towardsthe crane head 3.

For the purpose of raising the crane head 3 in relation to the masts 2standing on the ground or on previously erected parts of a building, thesupporting and driving catches 9, 11 are disconnected, that is to saythey are pivoted into a vertical inoperative position of rest, which isshown in FIGS. 9 to 11. The crane head 3 then rests with the bearingcatches 10 of the bottom cross-beam 7 on a pair of supporting bars 12 onthe masts 2 and with the hydraulic power cylinder 5 can be raised andlowered, in relation to the masts 2, by a distance corresponding to theheight of the stroke of the piston, not shown, of the cylinder. Thebearing catches 8 of the upper cross-beam 6 are in this case preferablyheld in a vertical inoperative position of rest, which is shown in FIG.12, so that when they run past any supporting bars 12 situated in theirpath they do not come into engagement with them. For the purpose ofraising the crane head 3 a greater distance than the height of thestroke of the power cylinder 5, the bearing catches 8 of the uppercross-beams 6 are pivoted into their horizontal operative position (FIG.9) and the crane head 3 is raised by the hydraulic power cylinder 5until the bearing catches 8 engage over the next following or thehighest possible pair of supporting bars 12 on the masts 2. On runningover the supporting bars 12 the bearing catches 8 yield automatically,that is to say they are temporarily pivoted in the downward directionand then take up position from above on the pair of supporting bars 12over which they have run, as illustrated particularly in FIG. 10. Thecrane head 3 is now supported by the masts 2 with the aid of the bearingcatches 8 on the top cross-beam 6. In this position the bottomcross-beam 7 is pulled up in relation to the supported crane head 3,through the retracting action of the hydraulic power cylinder 5, untilits bearing catches 10 engage over the next following or highestpossible pair of supporting bars 12 on the masts 2 and are supportedthereon (FIG. 11). On running over the supporting bars 12 the bearingcatches 10 of the bottom cross-beam 7 yield automatically by temporarilypivoting in the downward direction. The crane head 3 can be similarlylowered step by step, in which case however in order to run over thesupporting bars 12 on the masts 2, the bearing catches 8 and 10 must betemporarily pivoted, either by means of a control device, notillustrated, or by manual adjustment, into their vertical inoperativeposition of rest, which is shown in FIG. 12.

The above described elevating device for the crane 1 may be replaced byany power device of different construction which moves the crane head upand down, to the extent of the desired adjustment, in relation to thecrane frame formed by the masts 2.

A trolley 13, FIG. 2, is arranged longitudinally to tra verse the cranejib 4, between the two masts 2. The crane head 3 has an upper, roughlyV-shaped aperture 14 for the passage of the trolley 13, as illustratedpartic- 5 ularly in FIGS. 2 and 23. Consequently, the trolley 13 cantravel over the entire length of the jib 4. On both sides of the jib 4horizontal carrier arms 15 project laterally from the jib and areprovided for the suspension of shuttering.

The use of the crane 1 for the construction of a multi storey buildingwith reinforced concrete frames will now be described, in which thebuilding frame consists of two parallel longitudinal walls 17, whichbound a well 16, FIG. 25, and of a plurality of transverse walls 18, 118starting from the other side of each longitudi nal wall 17 and directedat right angles to the latter, as can be seen particularly in FIGS. 3 to7 and 13. Each longitudinal wall 17 and the transverse walls 18, 118extending from them are concreted as continuous elements and form notonly the frame, that is to say the supporting parts of the building, butalso at least a part of the room dividing walls of the building. For thesake of simplicity it is assumed that four transverse walls 18, 1 18extend from each longitudinal wall 17, FIG. 13, the two outer transversewalls 1 18 forming the corresponding outer walls of the building, as canbe seen particularly from FIG. 13. In FIGS. 1 to 7 on the other handonly the middle part of the building frame with inner transverse walls18 and the corresponding middle portion of the longitudinal walls 17 areillustrated.

Together with the respective longitudinal walls 17 the transverse walls18, 118 on each side of the pair of longitudinal walls 17 17 bound aplurality of U- shaped rooms which are open to the outside of thebuilding. The U-shaped rooms on the opposite sides of the pair oflongitudinal walls 17 17 lie approximately opposite one another. whilehowever the respective op positely situated transverse walls 18, 118need not be exactly in line with one another but may also be offset inrelation to one another. as illustrated in FIG. 13 for the two innertransverse walls 18. The transverse walls 18, 118 lying opposite oneanother on opposite sides of the pair of longitudinal walls 17 17 arepreferably of approximately the same length, that is to say the well 16bounded by the longitudinal walls 17 lies approximately in the middle ofthe building.

For the purpose of constructing the reinforced concrete frame formed bythe longitudinal walls 17 and the transverse walls 18, 118, the crane 1may be erected in various ways. In the example illustrated in FIG. 13 aplurality of cranes 1 are erected side by side in the re gion of themiddle well 16, namely a crane l roughly in the middle between twosuccessive transverse walls 18, 118 to be constructed. The jibs 4,indicated in broken lines in FIG. 13, of these building cranes 1 extendtransversely to the longitudinal walls 17, that is to say parallel tothe transverse walls 18, 118 and on both sides extend beyond therespective outer boundaries of the building to be erected. The masts 2of the cranes 1 originally rest on the ground or on prepared foundations19 (FIGS. 1 to 6).

The longitudinal and transverse wails 17, 18, 118 are in each caseconcreted storey by storey with the aid of re-useable steel shutteringwhich extends over the full height of the storey and which is suspendedon the laterally projecting carrier arms 15 on the crane jibs 4, theshuttering being shown separately in FIG. 15. On the jib 4 of the middlecrane 1, which can be seen also in FIGS. 1 to 7, there is suspended oneach side of the crane frame 2 2 U-shaped shuttering which consists oftwo inner shuttering panels 20 for the inner transverse wall 18 and twoshuttering wings pivotally articulated to the shuttering panels 21). Theshuttering wings 21 are detachably connected together by a lockingdevice 22 and together form the outer shuttering panel 21 21 for themiddle portion of a longitudinal wall 17 (FIGS. 13 and 15).

On each of the jibs 4 of the two outermost cranes 1,

FIG. 13, there is suspended, on each side of the respective crane frames2 2, U-shaped shuttering which consists of the outer shuttering panel 23of an inner transverse wall 18 and of the inner shuttering panel 24 ofan outer transverse wall 118, as well as of two shuttering wings 25pivotally articulated to the shuttering panels 23, 24. The shutteringpanels 25 are detachably connected together by a locking device 22 andtogether form the outer shuttering panel 25 25 for a side por tion ofthe appertaining longitudinal wall 17. On the jib 4 of the two outercranes 1 there is also suspended an outer shuttering panel 26 for therespective outer transverse wall 118. The inner shuttering panels forthe longitudinal walls 17 are likewise suspended on the jibs 4 of thethree cranes 1. The shuttering panels 27 may be in each case in the formof a continuous one-piece shuttering panel, or may consist of aplurality of panel portions detachably joined together and allocated tothe respective crane 1, that is to say corresponding in each case to apair of outer shuttering wings 21 21 and 25 25 respectively.

The shuttering 21) 27 is suspended on the carrier arms of the crane jibs4 with the aid of carrier ropes 28, FIG. 3, which are detachablyconnected to the appertaining shuttering panels. Hydraulic powercylinders articulated to the jib'4 of the respective crane 1 act on thecarrier ropes 28 of the inner and outer shuttering panels 20, 23 of theinner transverse walls 18, and also on the carrier ropes of the innershuttering panels of the outer transverse walls 118, as shownparticularly in FIGS. 16 to 18. These power cylinders 29 are spatiallyinclined in such a manner that, viewed in ground plan, they extendroughly parallel to the bisector of the angle between the appertainingshuttering panel or 23, 24 and the respective shuttering wing 21 orarticulated thereto, as can be seen in FIGS. 16 and 17. In elevation onthe other hand the power cylinders 29 are inclined obliquely in theupward direction starting from the point at which they act on thecarrier rope 28 of the respective shuttering panels 20 or 23, 24, as canbe seen particularly in FIG. 18.

The carrier ropes 28 of the outer shuttering panels 26 of the outertransverse walls 118 are fastened on the carrier arms 15 of therespective crane jibs 4 so that they will not extend exactlyperpendicularly over the prescribed concreting position of theshuttering panels 26, but will be slightly offset towards the outside,as can be seen particularly in FIG. 18. At their bottom end theshuttering panels 26 are provided with hook-shaped anchoring elements30, which are directed inwards and upwards,- each of them being fastenedupon a spindle nut 31 guided for vertical sliding movement in theshuttering panel 26 as illustrated particularly in FIG. 19. Each spindlenut 31 is moved with the aid of .an associated vertical threaded spindle32, which is adapted to be operated by a handwheel 33 provided at thetop on the shuttering panel 26. The hook-shaped anchoring element 30co-operates with a holding hook 34 which is directed outwards anddownwards and fastened on a horizontal edge beam provided on thefoundation 19 or on the individual floor slabs 36.

- For the purpose of constructing the reinforced concrete frame theshuttering 20 27 suspended on the jibs 4 of the cranes 1 is first laidin the upright position on the foundation 19 by lowering the crane heads3 (FIG. 1). The power cylinders 29 are extended for this purpose to suchan extent that the carrier ropes 28 of the shuttering panels 20, 23, 24extend entirely perpendicularly and the shuttering panels 20, 23, 24 andalso the shuttering wings 21, 25 articulated to them are lowered exactlyinto their prescribed concreting position, as illustrated in FIG. 16 andin solid lines in FIG. 18. The outer shuttering panels 26 of the outertransverse walls 118 are lowered in a position slightly offset in theoutward direction in relation to their predetermined concretingposition, and at the end of their lowering movement are suspended in theholding hooks 34 by means of their hook-shaped anchoring elements 30, byswivelling their bottom end in the inward direction. The shutteringpanels 26 are then adjusted to be exactly vertical and, by raising thespindle nut 31 with the aid of the threaded spindle 32 and the handwheel 33, are tensioned. The pivotable shuttering wings 21 and 25 areclosed, that is to say they are aligned in pairs in relation to oneanother, and joined by the locking device 22, as illustrated in solidlines in FIG. 13. Theshuttering panels lying opposite one another ineach case are joined together at their top ends with the aid of ties orspacers (not shown) which are known per se.

The carrier ropes 28 are then detached from the shuttering 20 27 and thecrane heads 3 of the cranes 1 are raised in relation to the masterframes to such an extent that the concreting, that is to say the pouringof concrete into the shuttering 20 27 erected on the foundation 19, canbe effected with the aid of the trolleys 13 and of concrete buckets 37suspended on the latter, as illustrated particularly in FIG. 2. Theraised concrete bucket can pass unhindered through the top passageaperture 14 in the crane head 3, so that with the same trolley 13 it ispossible to serve all the shuttering allocated to a crane 1 over theentire length of the crane jib 4. Before concreting, the necessaryreinforcement and cables or pipes for connections for lighting, water,and heating installations, and also filler blocks to form any door orwindow openings or the like required, or prefabricated frames for suchdoor and window openings or the like, are inserted into the shuttering.The inner surfaces of the shuttering 20 27, that is to say the surfacesfacing the respective longitudinal or transverse wall 17 or 18, l 18,are as smooth as possible, or are even made mirror-smooth, so that thesurfaces of the walls formed require only slight finishing or none atall. Moreover, the shuttering panels 20 27 may be constructed in amanner known per se as shuttering walls adapted to be steam heated, inorder to reduce the setting time of the concrete.

After the setting of the concrete the shuttering is removed from thelongitudinal and transverse walls 17, 18, 118 forming the portion of theframe for the first storey. For this purpose the crane heads 3 are firstlowered and the shuttering 20 27 connected to the carrier ropes 28. Theshuttering wings 21, 25 are then opened, that is to say detached fromone another in the region of the locking devices 22 and pivoted in thedirection of the appertaining shuttering panels 20, or 23, 24, asillustrated particularly in dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 13. At the sametime the power cylinders 29 are retracted, whereby the shuttering panels20, 23, 24 and the shuttering wings 21 or 25 articulated on them aremoved away laterally from the respective longitudinal and transversewalls 17, 18, 118 at an angle of about 45 and also slightly raisedobliquely upwards, in accordance with the previously described spatialinclination of these power cylinders 29 as illustrated in FIG. 17 and,in broken lines, in FIG. 18. The outer fastening of each outershuttering panel 26 of the outer transverse walls 118 is released bylowering the spindle nut 31 (FIG. 19) with the aid of the threadedspindle 32 and of the handwheel 33. The hook-shaped fastening element 30is detached from the retaining hook 34 and the shuttering panel 26 ismoved laterally away from the transverse wall 118 as can be seenparticularly in FIG. 17. The crane heads 3 of the three cranes 1 arethen raised simultaneously or in succession together with the shutteringsuspended from them, to such an extent that all the shuttering panels 2027 are raised until their bottom ends hang above the longitudinal andtransverse walls 17, 18, 118 which have been constructed, as illustratedparticularly in FIG. 3. An intermediate position of the shutteringduring raising is shown in dotand-dash lines inFIG. 18.

In this raised, hanging position of the shuttering 20 27 the floor ofthe first storey is laid. This floor consists of prefabricated floorslabs 36, which are raised from the building ground with the aid of thetrolleys 13 of the individual cranes (see position shown in dot-and-dashlines in FIG. 4) and then inserted in the horizontal direction as shownby the arrow F1 in FIG. 4 under the suspended shuttering 20 27, andfinally laid on the previously constructed longitudinal and transversewalls 17, 18 or 118 of the first storey (see position shown in solidline in FIG. 4). During the laying of the floor slabs 36 on one side ofthe middle pair of longitudinal walls 17 the opposite end of the cranejib 4 is connected by a pull-rope 39 to a counterweight 38 or to ananchoring point on the ground. The floor slabs 36 are so dimensioned orso laid that, although they are supported on the middle longitudinalwall 17, they nevertheless leave free the well 16 lying between sidewalls, or project only slightly into this well, as can be seenparticularly from FIGS. to 7 and 20 to 22. Cables, pipes and connectionsfor lighting, water, and heating installations or the like may also beincorporated in the floor slabs 36.

After the floor has been laid in the first storey, the construction ofthe portion of the frame for the second storey, consisting of the samelongitudinal and transverse walls 17, 18, 118, can be commencedimmediately. For this purpose the shuttering 20 27 is lowered onto thelaid floor by the lowering of the crane heads 3 and prepared in themanner described previously for concreting, as illustrated particularlyin FIG. 5. After construction of the longitudinal and transverse walls17, 18, 118 of the second storey, and after removal of the shutteringfrom these walls, the shuttering 20 27 is raised again sufficiently toenable the floor slabs 36 of the second storey to be inserted under themand laid on the newly constructed longitudinal and transverse walls 17,18, 118. The central well 16 between the two longitudinal walls 17, isonce again left free. The steps of this process described above arerepeated for each storey until the building has reached the desiredheight through erection of the longitudinal and transverse walls 17, 18,118 storey by storey, with alternate laying of the prefabricated floorslabs 36. The superimposed storey portions of the longitudinal andtransverse walls 17, 18, 118 are connected together and to theinterposed prefabricated 36 in any manner known per se, for example bymeans of edge cut-outs 40 in the floor slabs 36. Parts of thereinforcement of the longitudinal and transverse walls 17, 18, 118 lyingtherebeneath project upwards through these edge cut-outs 40, which canbe seen particularly in FIG. 4. The edge cut-outs 40 of the floor slabs36 are then filled with concrete during the concreting of thelongitudinal and transverse walls 17, 18, 118 lying above them, thusforming connecting bridges between the superimposed wall portions.

If the cranes 1, that is to say their masts 2, are made sufficientlytall, they may rest on the ground or on the foundations 19 throughoutthe entire building period that is to say until the complete buildinghas been constructed. The height of the cranes 1 and the expenseentailed thereby can however be considerably reduced by providing thecrane frame with an elevating device, with the aid of which it iselevated on to the previously constructed parts of the building as thework progresses, and is consequently raised step by step or storey bystorey.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 20 to 22 illustrate an example of the construction of anelevating device of this kind for a crane I, this device being used inconjunction with the elevating device for the crane head 3 which isillustrated in FIGS. 3 to 12. On the bottom end of each mast 2 there isprovided, on the sides facing the longitudinal walls 17, at least onebearing catch which is pivotable in the downward direction and adaptedto be secured in a horizontal operative position. These bearing catches41 co-operate with the edge portions, projecting into the shaft 16between the longitudinal walls 17, of the prefabricated floor slab 36which have already been laid. After the building frame has been erectedto a determined height, for example after the floor of the second storeyhas been laid and after the shuttering 20 27 has been lowered and laidon this floor, the crane head 3 is supported by projecting bearing arms42 on the lowered shuttering parts, particularly on the closedshuttering wings 21 or 25 and on the shuttering panels 27 of thelongitudinal walls 17, as shown in FIG. 6. The bearing catches 8 and 10,which are pivotable in the downward direction and are provided on theupper cross-beam 6 fastened to the crane head 3, and also to the bottomcross-beam 7, which is adapted to slide up and down in the crane head 3with the aid of the powercylinder 5, are pivoted into their inoperativevertical position of rest, while the associated supporting and drivingcatches 9 and 11 which are adapted to pivot in the upward direction, arepivoted into their horizontal operative condition, as illustratedparticularly in FIG. 12. The power cylinder 5 is then extended, wherebythe bottom cross-beam 7 is moved downward in the crane head 3 supportedby the shuttering, until its driving catches 11 engage under a pair ofsupporting bars 12 on the masts 2. On running over the supporting bars12 the driving catches 11 automatically yield temporarily in the upwarddirection. The power cylinder 5 is then retracted and consequently liftsthe masts 2, which were previously standing on the ground or on thefoundations 19, by means of the driving catches 11 of the bottomcross-beam, which has now been moved in the upward direction in thesupported crane head 3, until the supporting catches 9 of theupper'cross-beam 6, which is secured to the crane head 3, engage under apair of supporting bars on the masts. The power cylinder is thenextended again until the driving catches 1 1 of the cross-beam '7, whichis thereby lowered again, engage under another pair of supporting bars12 on the masts 2, which at that moment are carried by the supportingcatches 9 of the top cross-beamb. Through repeated raising and loweringof the bottom cross-beam 7 the masts 2 are raised step by step untiltheir bearing catches 411 engage over the edge portions, projecting intothe well 16, of the previously laid floor slabs 36 of the first storeyand are supported thereon, as can be seen particularly in FIGS. 7 and22. On running over the floor slabs 36 the bearing catches 41 yieldautomatically, that is to say they are temporarily pivoted in thedownward direction, as can be seen in FIG. 21. The masts 2 of the crane1 are therefore now carried by the edge portions of the laid floor ofthe first storey and after the bearing, supporting, and driving catches8 to 11 have been changed over, that is to say after the bearing catches8, 10 have pivoted into their horizontal operative position and thesupporting and driving catches 9, 11 have pivoted into their verticalposition of rest as shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, the crane head 3 can againbemoved up and down in relation to the mast frames in a manner previouslydescribed, and in particular into its position necessary for theconcreting of the longitudinal and transverse walls 17, 18, 118 of thethird storey and for the removal of the shuttering from these walls andlaying the floor slabs 36 thereabove. The masts 2 of the crane 1 arethen raised by the height of another storey with the aid of theelevating device described, and supported on the edge portions,projecting into the well 16, of the floor slabs 36 of the second storey.and so on.

The building frame is constructed on both sides of or around the cranes1, the crane masts being also supported and braced laterally in thepreviously constructed parts of the crane particularly in relation tothe longitudinal walls 17. By this means and because of the relativelylow height of the crane resulting from the elevation of the crane masts,greater operational reliability and safety in respect of accidents areensured. In addition, almost all parts of the cranes 1 are convenientlyaccessible, for repair and inspection purposes, from the previously laidfloors of the individual storeys. After completion of the building framethe cranes 1 can be dismantled conveniently and without danger. Anotherimportant advantage consists in that a weather roof 51 which is partlyillustrated in FIG. 7 and which covers the appertaining portion of thebuilding area can be fastened on the jib 4 of each building crane 1.Consequently, building work can continue even in rainy weather and inconjunction with the steam heating of the shuttering even in winter. Thepartial enclosure of the individual Ushaped rooms of the erectedbuilding frame by means of the longitudinal and transverse walls 17, 18,118 provides increased safety in respect of accidents, while the outer,open sides of these rooms can be closed in by additional railings or thelike, which for example can be raised and lowered together with theshuttering by means of the cranes 1. The use of prefabricated floorslabs in conjunction with frame portions (longitudinal and transversewalls 17, 18, 118) constructed storey by storey with the aid ofre-usable, raisable and lowerable shuttering considerably shortens thetime required for building.

The partitions of the building and the outer walls or the like whichstill have to be erected are formed from prefabricated wall slabs 43laid with the aid of the cranes 1, as illustrated particularly in FIGS.6 and 7. After the cranes 1 have been dismantled, the well 16, whichremains between the longitudinal walls 17 and which is continuously openfrom top to bottom, is, in particular, sub-divided into storeys. At thesame time mains pipes or cables for the lighting, water, heating, anddrain installations may be disposed in this well, or staircases, liftwells, or the like may be built in it. Depending on the ground plan orframe of the building various other constructions and arrangements ofthe cranes used to carry out the method are possible. In the exampledescribed above and illustrated in FIG. 13, for example, only two cranesmay be used, as illustrated in FIG. 14. These cranes 1 are directed inthe region of the two outer U-shaped spaces, each of which is bounded byan inner transverse wall 18 and an outer transverse wall 118. Inaddition to the inner shuttering panel 2401' the respective outertransverse walls 118 and the outer shuttering panel 24 of the respectiveinner transverse walls 18, together with the shuttering wings 25articulated thereon for the longitudinal walls 17, the jib 4 of eachcrane 1 also carries in this case the outer shuttering panel 26 of theappertaining outer transverse walls 118 and the inner shuttering panel20 of the appertaining inner transverse walls 18, together with theshuttering wings 21 articulated thereon for the longitudinal walls 17.Better distribution of weight is thereby achieved.

The method according to the invention may however also be performed witha single crane .1, if this crane is of the travelling or rotary type. Anexample of this kind is illustrated in FIGS. 23 and 24. The crane 1 ishere adapted to run by means of wheels 44 on rails 45, which aredisposed in the well 16 between the longitudinal walls 17. The liftingof the shuttering 20 27, the insertion and laying of the prefabricatedfloor slabs 36 and the lowering of the shuttering 20 27 on to the floorslabs 36 are in this case carried out sector by sector, while theshuttering panels 27 for the longitudinal walls 17 are preferablydivided into a plurality of corresponding length sectors. Thus forexample the travelling crane 1 is firstbrought into the region of oneend of the well, where it lifts the corresponding shuttering panels 23,24, together with the shuttering wings 25 articulated on them, and alsothe shuttering panel 26 and the respective portion of the shutteringpanel 27. After insertion of the prefabricated floor slabs 36 under theraised shuttering, the latter is lowered and the crane 1 is run into themiddle region of the well, where it raises the shuttering panel 20together with the shuttering wings 25 articulated thereto and therespective portion of the shuttering panel 27 and inserts theprefabricated floor slab 36 under this shuttering and so on. Thetravelling crane 1 shown in FIG. 23 and 24 is also preferably providedwith an elevating device, for example one of the kind previouslydescribed. The bottom bearing catches 41 of this elevating device arehowever here not disposed on the masts 2, but on the tops of sleepers 46fastened to the rails 45, as can be seen particularly in FIG. 24.. Onthe raising of the masts 2 by the elevating device illustrated in FIGS.8 to 12, the rails 45 are temporarily fastened to the masts 2 by afastening device 47 and consequently are raised together with the mastsand with the sleepers 46. After the bearing catches 41 have engaged overthe laid floor slabs 36 of the next higher storey and the rail sleepersthus rest on these floor slabs 36 the fastening device 47 is releasedand the crane 1 can travel on the rails 45.

In buildings having a more compact, approximately square ground plan asingle crane in the form of a rotary crane provided with a climbingdevice may be disposed in a central well, this crane effecting theraising of the shuttering, the laying of the floor slabs, and thelowering of the shuttering approximately sector by sector.

The reinforced concrete frame of the building need not necessarilyconsist of longitudinal and transverse walls 17, 18, 118 disposedroughly in U-shape, although this arrangement has particularly greatstability which is especially advantageous when elevatable cranes areused. Some possible groundplan forms for the reinforced concrete frameare shown in P16. 25. From this Figure it can be seen that in additionto the longitudinal and transverse walls 17, 18, 118 in continuousU-form the building frame may also consist of simple walls 48 or ofposts 49, preferably of angular cross-section, or of hollow pillars 49with an open or closed cross-section.

I claim:

1. In the construction of a multi-story building, a method of formingfloors and walls of successive stories using a reusable form having avertical height equal to the full height of a storey, including thesteps of erecting the form in place by retaining the form in a suspendedcondition and securing the form in place, forming vertical walls bypouring the material of the vertical walls into the erected form,raising the form by a dis tance equal to at least one storey plus thethickness of a prefabricated floor siab following the curing of saidvertical walls, and, with the aid of a crane erected in a well formed byinternal vertical walls not covered by the floor slabs;

raising prefabricated floor slabs,

inserting the floor slabs horizontally between the raised form and thetops of the vertical walls, laying the slabs on the tops of the verticalwalls of said one storey to form a floor, and

lowering the form onto the floor preparatory to the formation of thevertical wall of the next higher storey, and raising the crane by onestorey at a time and supporting it by previously erected wall or floorportions. 2. The method of claim 1, whereinsaid steps of retaining theshuttering, raising the shuttering and lowering the shuttering are alsocarried out with the aid of the crane.

3. In the construction of a multi-story building, a

method of forming floors and walls of successive stories using areusable form having a vertical height equal to the full height of astorey, including the steps of: erecting the form in place by retainingthe form in a suspended condition and securing the form in place,forming vertical walls by pouring the material of the vertical wallsinto the erected form, raising the form by a distance equal to at leastone full storey plus the thickness of a prefabricated floor slabfollowing curing of the said vertical walls, inserting saidprefabricated floor slabs horizontally between the raised form and thetops of the vertical walls and laying the slabs on the tops of thevertical walls of said one storey to form a floor, and lowering the formonto the floor and securing the form in place preparatory to theformation of the walls of the next higher storey.

4. The method according to claim 3, in which the steps of raising andlowering of the suspended form and the step of laying the prefabricatedfloor slabs is effected with the aid of a crane, and said methodincludes erecting the crane in a well formed by internal walls notcovered by floor slabs.

5. The method according to claim 4, in which the well extends over thelength of the building and including the steps of disposing in the wella plurality ofjuxtaposed, mutually spaced cranes, and using each of thecranes to effect the raising and lowering of the form, to pour concreteinto the form to form vertical walls, and for the laying of theprefabricated floor slabs on both sides of the well.

6. The method according to claim 4, in which the well extends over thelength of the building and including the steps of disposing in the wellat least one crane which is adapted to travel in the lengthwisedirection of the well, and using the crane or cranes to effect raisingand lowering of the form, to pour concrete into the form to formvertical walls, and for the laying of the prefabricated floor slabsalternately for individual por tions of the length of the building onboth sides of the well.

7. The method according to claim 4, in which the well is situatedapproximately in the middle of the building and including the steps ofdisposing a rotatable crane in the well, and using the crane to effectraising and lowering of the form, to pour concrete into the form to formvertical walls, and for the laying of the prefabricated floor slabsalternately for individual sectors of the ground plan of the building,preferably sectors lying diametrally opposite one another.

8. The method according to claim 4, in which the crane located in thewell initially stands on the ground or on foundations for the buildingand, following the formation of one or more storey portions of theframe, the method includes raising the crane stepwise by at least onestorey at a time and then supporting the crane by previously erectedwalls or floors.

9. The method according to claim 8, in which the step of formingvertical frame parts storey by storey comprises forming walls with anangular horizontal

1. In the construction of a multi-story building, a method of formingfloors and walls of successive stories using a reusable form having avertical height equal to the full height of a storey, including thesteps of erecting the form in place by retaining the form in a suspendedcondition and securing the form in place, forming vertical walls bypouring the material of the vertical walls into the erected form,raising the form by a distance equal to at least one storey plus thethickness of a prefabricated floor slab following the curing of saidvertical walls, and, with the aid of a crane erected in a well formed byinternal vertical walls not covered by the floor slabs; raisingprefabricated floor slabs, inserting the floor slabs horizontallybetween the raised form and the tops of the vertical walls, laying theslabs on the tops of the vertical walls of said one storey to form afloor, and lowering the form onto the floor preparatory to the formationof the vertical wall of the next higher storey, and raising the crane byone storey at a time and supporting it by previously erected wall orfloor portions.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said steps ofretaining the shuttering, raising the shuttering and lowering theshuttering are also carried out with the aid of the crane.
 3. In theconstruction of a multi-story building, a method of forming floors andwalls of successive stories using a reusable form having a verticalheight equal to the full height of a storey, including the steps of:erecting the form in place by retaining the form in a suspendedcondition and securing the form in place, forming vertical walls bypouring the material of the vertical walls into the erected form,raising the form by a distance equal to at least one full storey plusthe thickness of a prefabricated floor slab following curing of the saidvertical walls, inserting said prefabriCated floor slabs horizontallybetween the raised form and the tops of the vertical walls and layingthe slabs on the tops of the vertical walls of said one storey to form afloor, and lowering the form onto the floor and securing the form inplace preparatory to the formation of the walls of the next higherstorey.
 4. The method according to claim 3, in which the steps ofraising and lowering of the suspended form and the step of laying theprefabricated floor slabs is effected with the aid of a crane, and saidmethod includes erecting the crane in a well formed by internal wallsnot covered by floor slabs.
 5. The method according to claim 4, in whichthe well extends over the length of the building and including the stepsof disposing in the well a plurality of juxtaposed, mutually spacedcranes, and using each of the cranes to effect the raising and loweringof the form, to pour concrete into the form to form vertical walls, andfor the laying of the prefabricated floor slabs on both sides of thewell.
 6. The method according to claim 4, in which the well extends overthe length of the building and including the steps of disposing in thewell at least one crane which is adapted to travel in the lengthwisedirection of the well, and using the crane or cranes to effect raisingand lowering of the form, to pour concrete into the form to formvertical walls, and for the laying of the prefabricated floor slabsalternately for individual portions of the length of the building onboth sides of the well.
 7. The method according to claim 4, in which thewell is situated approximately in the middle of the building andincluding the steps of disposing a rotatable crane in the well, andusing the crane to effect raising and lowering of the form, to pourconcrete into the form to form vertical walls, and for the laying of theprefabricated floor slabs alternately for individual sectors of theground plan of the building, preferably sectors lying diametrallyopposite one another.
 8. The method according to claim 4, in which thecrane located in the well initially stands on the ground or onfoundations for the building and, following the formation of one or morestorey portions of the frame, the method includes raising the cranestepwise by at least one storey at a time and then supporting the craneby previously erected walls or floors.
 9. The method according to claim8, in which the step of forming vertical frame parts storey by storeycomprises forming walls with an angular horizontal cross-section.